Is your son ready to get circumcised? Here are some useful "tuli" tips!

From knowing if your little "binata" is ready, to the different packages available, we got you covered!

Ah, summer. Here in the Philippines, the summer is a time for the age old tradition of tuli, or circumcision.

Every year, preteen boys go to doctors, or sometimes local elders to get circumcised. It's a rite of passage, and for a lot of boys, it starts their transition into being young men.

How do we know when our son is ready?

While there are a lot of superstitions and beliefs surrounding circumcision, the best way to know if you're child is ready to get circumcised is if they're willing and able, and if their foreskin can be pulled down. For younger kids, pulling down the foreskin causes some pain, so that means that they might not yet be ready to get circumcised. The best way to know would be to consult a doctor first.

And while some parents opt to instead circumcise newborn children, there might be some risks involved since the baby is still very young, and in some cases the foreskin grows back. It's best to wait until your son is ready and they should be the ones to decide when they want to get circumcised.

How much does it cost?

There are a lot of options when it comes to getting circumcised in the Philippines. First off are the free "tuli" clinics that the government and some hospitals provide as a service to the community. These are quick circumcisions that are done to accommodate a lot of kids. The upside is that it's free, but sometimes you have to line up for a long time, and you'll still have to go to the doctor for follow-ups to make sure everything is going well.

One of the more modern methods of circumcision is through laser circumcision, wherein a laser is used to cut the foreskin. It's a bit more expensive compared to regular circumcision practices, but it provides a cleaner cut compared to other methods. Another is through cauterization, where heat is used to burn off the foreskin. Lastly is the more traditional surgery wherein scalpels are used to cut away the foreskin and then stitch it back.

Whichever method you go with, the important thing would be to look for a reputable clinic, and go back for follow-up checkups in case of infection, or if you think there might be any complications.

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